May 31, 2013

A Friday ritual.
A
single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A
simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to
pause, savor and remember. Inspired by SouleMama. If you're
inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the
comments for all to find and see.

May 30, 2013

it's the 30th of may, elias is turning 14 and he is a great teenager, being happy with a few little surprises a big table full of friends and family to celebrate for dinner and absolutely loving the visit of his grandparents. thank you for making it over here the four of you! it means a lot to elias and us all.
the day turned out to be wonderful, and slow on my end. i found myself wandering off in my thoughts, back 14 years ago, when we got ready to birth, when our live as a couple turned into a little family. everything was new and in many ways foreign. we were not just living far away from our families but across the atlantic from anything i remember and meant to know at least a tiny bit, how family could work. my language skills were not the best, i often was struggling to find the correct wording to express myself in english. though it also meant a lot of freedom, as a young european mother i was allowed to do or not to do without people around me thinking anything strange about it. ("maybe that's how the swiss do it" they must have been thinking)
i loved this all new and all different and figuring out how we wanted it to do, to live.
it was much later, way into the first year, when we visited our homeland, that i realized for the first time, the mothering is done even more different on the old continent as i was dreaming. now i understand much more and feel very strongly, that families have to find their way, there is no one way or often wish for young parents to feel able to do it their way. it is important to me to help young mothers to find their way to become mothers to their first (and any child following) child. as it does look different for each family.
now back in switzerland for over three years (we moved back when our youngest, thea was just turning one) i realized, that i was not doing it "traditional" or in any way the way it's generally approached here. well, that's fine we learned our way to be parents. the way our kids helped us find our roles and idea's how to live in community with each other and so many more people within close proximity of our house.
elias reminds me, to be brave, to try finding new ways or discovering old ones. and then it's again different each time we go through a new phase. in all that i'm thankful to joel, my beloved husband and wonderful father of our four children, for taking time, finding energy and loving me/us. in all this i'm praising the Lord my God for the blessing of my family.

May 29, 2013

flowers on the kitchen table are such a joy, as much as good and healthy food. a little bouquet form the front yard flower and herbs are growing nicely in that place. it is likely the sunniest spot around the house and the thyme as well as rosemarin and oregano are loving it there.
still with the cold mornings we "enjoy", i have to bake, warm up the kitchen and my heart, fresh bread is a good start to do so. and then taking a big bowl of pasta salad over to my sister in law for a family gathering. super yummy did it turn out, pasta, glazed onions and garlic, asparagus, tomatoes and a big chunk of italian cheese, the olive oil was drizzled over the ingredients as soon as i put everything in the bowl. the balsamico vinegar and some spices were put on just before had lunch...

May 28, 2013

it has been long since we sat at the fire, much rain and cold weather kept us from going out and sitting around a fire in the evening. of course when certain friends visit, we can't escape a fire...
this happened last night, and it was a wonderful sky we enjoyed, a cup of bold coffe/tea some cookies and lots of good and fun talking, even the baby was with us for the longest time. he slept happily and at least there were no mosquitoes yet, it's too cold.

when we sat around this fire in our city backyard, it just doesn't feel like we live in the city. i then pretend that we are way out there in some wonderful woods. no streetlight, no car, no kebab stand across the street. just plain being and loving and enjoying it. sometime i need this, the feel of being only me/us. the moment with no one else wanting something, or having done by me. not even the kids were up anymore, all tucked in and asleep. thank you for the good time with you guys g & p and of course my love joel.

May 27, 2013

those days have been rare, almost not seen in the past weeks. the more we are loving and enjoying it. there has been lunch on the balcony in the wonderful sun, there is hanging of laundry and playing in the sand box. there is just everything to be enjoyed and taken in as much as we can.
this leaves me with just such a quick moment posting the pics and telling you, that there is so much sunshine. there is nothing better to do then to be. loving this day, as the forecast is already telling again of rain and cold by tomorrow afternoon.

it's a late april, i guess. and my hopes have never been higher of dreaming a warm a couple warm and sunny summer months! those lovely tulips have been giving much joy, through all the droopy days, they never gave up and are still standing tall and yes loving the sunshine as much as i do.

May 24, 2013

A Friday ritual.
A
single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A
simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to
pause, savor and remember. Inspired by SouleMama. If you're
inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the
comments for all to find and see.

May 23, 2013

nothing new on my end, lot's of rain and gray clouds!
we do try to stay sane, make music, bake and read... i'm tempted to light a fire in the fire place, it's cold and doesn't look like it will change soon. this is not supposed to be the kind of weather at the end of "wonnemonat mai"

May 22, 2013

this is what we sing to keep our spirits up. there is even more rain and cold weather in the coming days, i'm so not up for it. putting on my wellies for anything outdoors is just not what i have expected for the end of may. though let's not fret, i'm sure the sun will be out soon again and as we sing, mother nature does need all the water she can.

May 21, 2013

it has been rather bleak, rainy and cool this spring. lot's of over cast weather and still it's in the high forties! i did plant the straw bales though the cucumber plant is not out yet, as the nights are easily going down into the thirties. the cucumber plants need 46.4 f (8 Celsius) to be able to surwive, so here i am, desparately wanting to wear the new skirt, a yard sale wrap from "weekend sewing" by heather ross. i chose a wonderful cotton with the real feel of summer... some how i just need that extra cheer right now.
we all need to go out anyway and get a good deep breath of fresh air, and that new swing in our garden is the perfect helper in regards to the kids, wanting to go out and swing, almost endlessly.
coming back in, cold hands, amid the fleece jacket and closed shoes i'm glad to be able to cuddle with our cat. a very warm and playful "hand warmer".

May 20, 2013

it was the big fussspuren IX, at the schauspielhaus this past weekend. two performances after lot's of rehearsals and even more practicing sessions...
the dancer of the taZ did a wonderful job. it was beautiful and just something i'm not yet used watching. i know there will be many more performances, in the years to come. so far we all went and enjoyed it. even little thea was able to sit through the whole two acts. well we should slowly get used to the 3hour shows i guess (there is a littel pause in the middle, to run out to the hall and have thea exercise her legs....)

elias was not on until the second half, almost not to understand for thea. with every dance we watched, her not very quiet voice was clearly to hear: "is elias on now?" no he is not, sh....
never the less, it was fun and we are all a bit proud of our oldest boy in the family.

May 17, 2013

A Friday ritual.
A
single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A
simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to
pause, savor and remember. Inspired by SouleMama. If you're
inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the
comments for all to find and see.

May 16, 2013

i have a little friend for whom i was sitting down to sew a bit. absolutely fun, i'm already thinking of a second set of the crossover pinafore. there are a few more of those very yummy fabrics, just fit for such a purpose, in my closet.
i love the squirrels and trees fabric by david walker, it's so fun and wonderful to touch. a very fine cotton, the little girl i'm sure will love it. a bit of looking around made me spot the crossover pinafore dress on maggies site, a great place to get inspired about sewing for kids, totally will be stopping by again... she didn't have the tutorial for the diaper covers up yet, so there i was, trying it on my own or, ha i was searching a bit more and found this, an other wonderful tutorial. though i did change it a bit, as i wanted to have the diaper covers the same way as the dress. wearable with the print outside or with the solid side out. a bit tricky though after some sewing and opening of it all again and resewing it worked out just fine...
isn't it all about trial and error and retrying and getting it right. i start to love that process more and more and i'm getting braver with it, just try and try again it will happen to become.

as i'm working with those pastels i can't help but match them with some wonderful peonies. last week when i went to the market i could just not resist those wonderful full soft pink buds. and now here they are, full in bloom and i'm at awe.

May 15, 2013

i have been following this a bit and am surprised how quickly this fair trade smart phone will be coming to the market. not that i'm going to order one, though definitely it is a big step into the right direction. less consuming would be even better, not having to have the latest and newest, i guess would go a far way to less exploitation of the not as fortunate people of our planet.

not much more for today, i'm not feeling that well. it does look like i caught the stomach bug the kids have had last week. more tomorrow, as i'm sitting on my sewing machine between running to the bathroom...

May 14, 2013

last saturday was prospecia rara market in wil, my sister in law took me along and together we had a good time looking at seedlings. all kinds of and of course i had to hold back and not get all those wonderful squash/pumpkins.
i got two black cherry tomatoes, and today at the market i had to get some more seedlings, as the snails ate 2/3rds of my salad seedlings in my garden...

and as you can see, we were served many wonderful meals. staying over at my parents has been wonderful. not doing a lot, getting ahead in my knitting project and playing games with the kids, going for walks and loving to just be.
thank you ma & pa for hosting us once more.

May 13, 2013

as soon as the living room floor was done, joel and amos ventured to horak, the local piano shop. we had been thinking of having a piano again for a while now. really since last october, when a community member moved out and took her instrument along. we did have a little oddisee with a piano from the second hand store... well it's over now, and we have a wonderful instrument, which especially joel and amos are enjoying to play.

over the weekend we stayed at my parents, and even with the weather being rather cold and mostly rainy, i had to venture out and take some pictures of the wonderful apple blossoms. full bloom and just so wonderful and pretty.

May 10, 2013

A Friday ritual.
A
single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A
simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to
pause, savor and remember. Inspired by SouleMama. If you're
inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the
comments for all to find and see.

May 9, 2013

here in switzeralnd we have this day as one of our national holidays, and as it is on a thursday, it will be a very long "weekend". i think it wonderful to go to church midweek and spend time with friends in god's presence, linger and enjoy this day, absolutely.

the long weekend is a gift too. a good time to be with family and just be. maybe even some still.

May 8, 2013

we had the chance to bounce and jump and eat yummy "bratwurst" over the weekend, it was wonderful fun for all of us.
now at midweek, we do laundry and cook curry with rice, bake and clean and enjoy the springsun.

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welcome

i'm daniela mama to four and wife to joel. there is never a dull moment in our days. to keep track of our doings, i try to journal here. as i definitely wouldn't want to loos the many interesting moments to the unimaginable black hole. we live a colorful and ever changing life. in the best of moments - peace and creativity prevail. then there are the moments filled with lots of chaos and craziness. though we learn to love those too.